Emergency air brake system



April 29, 1941. R. E. STANLEY 7 2,240,166

EMERGENCY AIR BRAKE SYSTEM I Filed Oct. 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY 5 April 29, 1941. R. STANLEY 2,240,166

EMERGENCY AIR BRAKE SYSTEM Filed Oct. 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0'0 52 o [:5 g I [/2 64 62 .56 226 7a INVENTOR.

BY 2/0 W ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFica EMERGENCY Am BRAKE SYSTEM Richard E. Stanley, Kansas City, M6. Application October 28, 1939, Serial No. 301,787 Claims. (01. 303-13) 'i'his invention relates to brake systems for vehicles and the primary object is to provide an emergency fluid brake system that may be brought'into use upon failure of any part of the equipment forming the conventional brake apparatus.

One of the important aims of this invention is the provision of an air brake system a separate set of conduits extending' tiirfifitly to each brake unit of the vehicle and forming the piping of an auxiliary or emergency system that is automatically maintained inoperative by air pressure in the regular braking equipment, until it is desired or becomes necessary to employ the emergency features of the system.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a brake system of the aforementioned character wherein is included means for indicating the air pressure. which indicating means is adjustable so that the operator may manipulate the indicator to cause the signal thereof to function when air pressure in the brake system drops to a predetermined point.

One of the further objects of this invention is the provision of an attachment for brake units of a system of the aforementioned character. which attachment is formed to cooperate with the conventional housing of the brake unit and designed to operably join the piping of the main and an emergency brake system to the unit in such fashion as to employ the standard port of the brake unit so that compressed air will pass therethroughfrom the piping of either of said main or emergency system.

Minor objects of the invention will appear during the course of the followingspeciiication, referring to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an air brake system made to embody the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view through one of the brake units of the system, illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view throug the brake unit taken on line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal central sectional view through a portion of the pressure indicator.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through said indicator taken on line V--V of Fig. 4: and

Fig. 6 is a fr mentary detailed sectional view through a brake unit made to embodya modified form of the invention.

Fluid brake systems in the nature of those employing compressed air and which commonly form a part of a vehicle having a plurality of wheels,

comprises a number of brake units! each Joined to a storage tank II, the air pressure in which is maintained at a predetermined point by compressor l2.

' A valve ll interposed between tank ill and brake units 8, serves to control the passage of air to said units and in the illustrated embodiment, conduit it extends from tank It to valve it. From this valve, conduits it and 28 pass to conduits 22 and 24 respectively, the'ends of which are connected to a brake unit 8.

The emergency portion of the system comprises a reservoir 2| which is also operably connected to each brake unit I and the piping employed for such connection comprises pipe 2| wherein is interposed a valve 30. Pipe 32 Joins pipe 34 at its one end, and pipe 30 at the other end thereof. and these pipes 34 and 3 have their ends in connection with a brake unit l.- Y

A branch pipe 38 having a check valve 40 therein interconnects reservoir 2! and pipe l6 and a conventional governor 42 which automatically limits reservoir pressure in a manner now well-' known in the art is interposed in a pipe 44 which extends from the emergency reservoir 28 to compressor l2.

Reservoir 28 has a drain cock 46 thereon and a should be constructed as detailed in Fig. 4.

Cylinder it is in communication with branch 52 the latter being joined to cylinder 54 at one end thereof so that as air under pressure enters cylinder 54, reciprocating piston 56 will have a tendency to move toward the other end of the cylinder.

Piston stem it extends through sleeve and a compression spring 62 is coiled around stem 58 so that one end of the spring bears against piston it while the other end thereof is against the inner end of sleeve 60. This sleeve 60 is provided with external screw-threads it which cooperate with the tapped opening 66 formed through the end of cylinder 54 and when sleeve BI is rotated. it will move toward and from piston It to increase or diminish the force of spring 62 upon piston ll.

Contact points I carried by cap 10 forming one end of cylinder 54, are joined to a signal lamp, or any audible or visible signaling member that air pressure in the main braking system is below that required to safely operate the brakes of the vehicle and may then bring into use the emergency system by manipulating valve 20.

It is important that the conduits and pipes forming parts of the regular and emergency systems respectively, be joined directly to the brake units 0 so that in no instance is a single tube, pipe or conduit relied upon as a means for operating the brake system when air from either tank I0 or 20isbeingpassedtounits8. manner of constructing a unit which is at each wheel is shown in Fig. 2.

Moving arm 02, by applying force to connecting rod 04, will apply the brakes and the means for forcing the connecting rod in the direction of the arrow, comprises a housing 80 having a cavity 00 therein for the reception of head 90 integral with connecting rod 04. A spring 92 yieldably maintains connecting rod 04 at one end of its path of travel where the brakes are not set.

Diaphragm 94 in cavity 80 divides the latter into two portions one of which is in communication with ports 00 and 00 provided through one wall of housing 06. A cylinder Ill integral with the wall of housing 06, through which is formed ports 0 and 00, contains valve I02 which is free to reciprocate within cylinder I00 and the size of valve I02 is such as to cause it to restrict one port when at one end of its path of travel, and to cover the other port when at the opposite end of its path of travel.

Assinning that the brake unit 0, illustrated in Fig. 2, is that at the lower righthand corner of the diagrammatic showing of Fig. l, pipe 22 will enter cylinder I00 at one end thereof, while pipe 30 is in communication with cylinder III at the opposite end. Thus, no pipe common to both the main and emergency brake system is called upon to function at the brake unit 0 and no part of this unit is likely to break or become out of order so that one or the other of pipes 24 or 30 is incapable of supplying air to operate connecting rod II.

In the modified form of the invention, illustrated in Fig. 6, the specially formed cap 200 is made to be attached directly upon housing 202 of 55 the conventional unit. In this instance, connecting rod 200 having head 200 thereon is recriprocatedto operate the brake in the manner as above set down.

Spring 200 serves to yieldably maintain rod 2 at one end of its path of travel and the diaphragm 2|. is movable with head 20 as air under pressure is forced into housing 202 through inlet port 212.

There is always an inlet port in the nature of that illustrated in Fig. 6. but in some cases this inlet port is in a position diflerent from that shown. In every instance, however, it is through the wall of housing 202 to one side of diaphragm 2", and when cap 200 is made as illustrated, it will contain therein the inlet port 2 l2 whether it be exactly as that shown or of a diilerent character and in a different position.

Cap 200 has a partition wall 2 it through which ports 2| and 2 II are provided.

The preferred Cylindrical compartment 200 contains valve 222 that is free to move in response to air under pressure that is introduced into compartment 220 by way of either ports 22' or 220. As hereinabove taught, these ports 220 and 22 are secured to the main or emergency system respectively, and

the operation of the unit embodying a modified form of the invention is precisely the same as the operation of that form illustrated in Fig. 2.

' when the compressor I2 has forced air into tank II and reservoir 20, check valve 40 will operate to preclude the escape of air from reservoir 20 while the main system employing air from a tank I0 is in operation. When valve II which is usually operated by a foot pedal, is manipulated air will exert a force upon connecting rod 04 of each unit. The unit I, at the lower righthand corner of Fig. 1, for instance, will have its connecting rod 04 moved to set the brakes by air passing from tank ll through conduits I0, I. and 22. When air enters cylinder I" through pipe 22, it will force valve I02 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and will operate diaphragm 94 by entering housing 06 through port 98. Port 00 will be closed by valve I02 and the end of pipe 20 will likewise be closed so that air cannot escape from cylinder I00.

If any of the conduits of the main system herein outlined should happen to break, air from emergency reservoir 20 may be sent to all of the brake units 8 and again taking for example, the unit in the lower righthand corner of Fig. 1, air will pass from reservoir 20 through pipes 20, 32 and 34 when valve 20 is opened. Valve I02 will immediately be forced to the other end of cylinder I00 where it will close the end of pipe 22 and port 00. Port 00 will thereby be opened and air under pressure will move against diaphragm 04 to operate rod 04 in the desired normal manner.

when cap 200 forms a part of each brake unit. the opening and closing of ports 2| and 2|! through the medium of valve 22 is accomplished in the same manner as hereinabove described, and since this specially formed cap may be applied to commercial type brake units now in use, it is obvious that an emergency system may be installed on vehicles where an air brake system with the emergency features is functioning.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an air brake system of the character described having a plurality of sets of brake units, a compressor, a storage tank for compressed air connected to the compressor. conduits interconnecting the brake units and "said storage tank, and a control valve in one of the conduits, the combination of an emergency reservoir; a pipe joining the storage tank and said reservoir having a check valve therein precluding iiow of air from the emergency reservoir to the storage tank; pipes independent of the said conduits, directly and independently interconnecting the said emergency reservoir and each of the brake units; and a valve to control the passage of air from the reservoir to the brake units.

2. In an air brake system of the character described having a plurality of sets of brake units, a compressor, a storage tank for compressed air connected to the compressor, conduits interconnecting the brake units and said storage tank, and a control valve in one of the conduits, the combination oi an emergency reservoir; a pipe joining the storage tank and said reservoir hav-- ing a check valve therein precluding flow of air from the emergency reservoir to the storage tank; pipes independent of the said conduits, independently interconnecting the said emergency reservoir and each of the brake units; a valve to control the passage of air from the reservoir to the brake units; and means carried within an integral part of each brake unit respectively, operable by air flowing from the reservoir, for precluding the flow of air into the conduit leading from the respective brake unit to the storage tank.

3. In an air brake system of the character described having a brake unit provided with a chamber, a compressor, a'storage tank for compressed air connected to the compressor, conduits interconnecting the chamber and said storage tank, and a control valve in the conduit, the combination of an emergency reservoir adapted to receive compressed air from the compressor;

pipes independent of the said conduits independently interconnecting the said chamber and the emergency reservoir; a valve in the pipe; and a valve member in said chamber common to either the conduits as said pipes whereby when air is entering the chamber from the conduits said pipes are closed by the valve member and when air is entering the chamber from the pipes, said conduits are closed.

4. In an air brake system of the character described having a brake unit comprising a housing provided with a chamber therein and at least one port formed through the housing for introducing air under pressure to the chamber, the combination of a cap adapted to be secured to the housing over the port; a partition in the cap forming two compartments and having a pair of ports therethrough; and a valve in one of said compartments movable to close one of the ports at a time, said port in the brake unit being in communication with the other compartment.

5. In an air brake system of the character described having a main air tank, an auxiliary air tank and a brake unit comprising a housing provided with a chamber therein and at least one port formed through the housing for introducing air "under pressure to the chamber, the

combination of a cap adapted to be secured to the housing over the port and having connection to the main and auxiliary air tanks; a partition in the cap having a pair of ports formed therethrough dividing the same into two compartments; a reciprocable valve in one of said compartments movable to close one of the ports at a time, said port in the'brake unit being in communication with the other compartment, the compartment having the valve therein being connected to both the main air tank and the auxiliary air tank by separate pipes, the pipe leading from the main air tank and one of the ports in the partition being closed when the valve is at one end of its path of travel, the pipe leading to the auxiliary tank and the other of said ports in the partition being closed by the valve when the same is at the other end of its path of travel.

6. In an air brake system of the character described having a main air tank, an auxiliary air tank and a brake unit comprising a housing provided with a chamber therein and a port formed through the housing for introducing air under pressure to the chamber from both the main and the auxiliary air tank from a common pipe; an adaptor attached to the brake unit for introducing air under pressure to the said chamber from the main air tank through one pipe and from the auxiliary tank to the chamber through anether pipe, said adaptor comprising a hollow casting having a partition therein provided with two ports and setting off two compartments in the casting; two openings formed in the casting in communication with one of the compartments whereby each of the pipes is individually placed in connection with the adaptor; and a reciprocable valve in said one compartment adapted to close one of the ports and one of the openings when held at one end of its path of travel by air under pressure entering the compartment through the other opening, the other compartment in the casting being formed to receive that portion of said brake unit having the port therein when the adaptor is secured to the brake unit.

RICHARD E. STANLEY. 

